Leafstar's Love
by Hazelmallorn
Summary: A continuation of Skyclan's Destiny-Leafstar and Billystorm's talk, plus Leafstar's kits and two more chapters. Now complete.
1. Chapter 1: Talks

Leafstar walked to her den with Billystorm following her. She felt so excited this was the moment. The words her ancestors had said came back to her. Seize the moment. This was a moment that Leafstar would not lose. She sat down and Billystorm did the same.

"Is there anyting you wish to discuss Leafstar?" Billystorm asked.

"I wanted to ask…" Leafstar took a big breath. "I wanted to ask if you would like to become my mate. I know there have been tensions between the daylight-warriors, but Frecklepaw is going to start to train with Echosong, and I want this Clan together, not apart. I also love you more than any other cat…" Leafstar trailed off.

Billystorm looked at her with warmth in his gaze. "I've been expecting this," he meowed cheerfully. In a softer voice, he added, "And I approve."

"But what will the Clan think of it?" Leafstar asked hesitantly.

"It is your decision, not the Clan's. Sharpclaw will be a great leader in your stead," Billystorm assured her. "Our kits will be strong and brave, loyal to SkyClan."

"But…"

"No "buts" Leafstar. It isn't the Clan's place to argue. They will still trust you, and it may even bring the Clan closer together." Leafstar's eyes sparkled, glittering with happiness.

"I know, Billystorm. I trust Sharpclaw, and the Clan too." Leafstar's heart was jumping. She looked Billystorm in the eye, and found nothing but love. She intertwined her tail with Billystorm's and their muzzles touched. At last came the moment Leafstar had waited so long for!

Suddenly Sharpclaw raced into Leafstar's den.

"What in the world are you doing? Our territory is being attacked by dogs, and you stand there mooning over a ki-daylight-warrior!" Leafstar broke away instantly.

"Sharpclaw! Have you supervised the attack party? The defense?"

"Yes." Sharpclaw flicked his tail in annoyance. "You and Billystorm can be on defense with me. I've sent most of the Clan on attack."

"Thank you Sharpclaw. Can I talk with you after this battle?" Leafstar asked.

"Okay. Oh look! There they are!" Sharp indicated. Leafstar spotted nost of the Clan warriors coming back, triumphant, and without a single scratch on them.

"We chased them away!" Tinycloud announced. "They just ran after we hissed at those mangy dogs!"

"Congratulations," Leafstar purred, sharing a glance with Billystorm. "Sharpclaw," She whispered, "Can we talk now?"

"What?" Sharpclaw asked when they had reached Leafstar's den.

"I want Billystorm to be my mate, and I want you to be ready to take over leader duties when I need to move to the nursery. Patchfoot will be deputy. "

"But..."

"Do you have any complaints about me and Billystorm mating? If you do, don't nome them because I am not changing my decision," Leafstar spat.

"I don't have any complaints," Sharpclaw said, alarmed at Leafstar's ferociousness. "I was merely thinking if I was ready or not." Leafstar relaxed.

"Don't worry, Sharpclaw. You will do fine."

"Thanks, Leafstar. I will try my best." Leafstar let out a mrrow of laughter.

"You worry too much, Sharpclaw. I'm not close to living in the nursery, and you will only have to do duties for about six moons, maybe a little more, as I will return to being leader the moment my kits can come off of milk." Sharpclaw looked relieved.

"Thank goodness. I want to be leader, yet I am really afraid that I will do something wrong." Leafstar sighed. She had thought her deputy was a ambitious cat, but she had just realized that he shared any other cat's worries.


	2. Chapter 2: Kits

**IM SOOOOOO SORRY ABOUT MY STUPID MISTAKES! I HAVE FIXED (hopefully) ALL OF THEM, AND IF YOU FIND MORE, PLEASE TELL ME!**

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Leafstar groaned. "I don't think I am very good at this," Leafstar moaned, as another spasm passed through her body.

"Shhh, save your energy." Billystorm murmured. Leafstar hissed in pain as a third spasm hit her, jerking her body violently. Echosong looked worried. "It should be coming any moment now." A final spasm passed through Leafstar's body as a tiny kit slid out, followed by two others. Suddenly, Sharpclaw skidded into the nursery.

"Did they-Oh…" Sharplclaw breathed. "They are so beautiful. Have you named them yet Leafstar?"

"No," Leafstar purred. "But I will. Do you want to help me name them?"

"Firekit. For the ginger tabby," Sharpclaw instantly replied.

"Of course," Leafstar purred, stifling a _mrrow_ of laughter at her deputy's slightly childish manner. How come Sharpclaw suddenly showed so much respect for Firestar all of a sudden? Oh, well, Leafstar hoped to get back to leader duties soon anyway, because she really was tired of sitting around in the nursery. "Why don't we name the little tortoishell she-cat Hazelkit?" Leafstar suggested. "And the little sand-like one Sandkit in honor of Sandstorm?"

"Of course," Billystorm meowed, "but you know, Leafstar, you will be able to give your own kits warrior names!" Leafstar laughed.

"I'll give them good ones," She joked happily.

Over the next few days, Leafstar went on nursing her kits. After a moon, she felt cramped and exhausted, more exhausted then she had ever felt after a battle. She mused over this for a long time, finally deciding that this was not okay. First she went to ask Clovertail if she could nurse her kits. Then she when over to the leader's den. Sharpclaw was resting there after a day's duties, and started when he saw Leafstar.

"What?" He grumbled, not happy to be woken up from sleep.

"I want to return to my leader duties," Leafstar informed him. "It's tiring to sit in the nursery all day and my kits are already nearly five moons old. Soon they'll be apprentices."

"Sure," Sharpclaw replied, "I'll just be the deputy again." With a sigh, he went back to sleep.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather under the Highrock for a meeting!" Leafstar's meow rang out in the clearing. "I would like to announce that I will be returning to my leader duties tomorrow. Sharpclaw has led you well, and I greatly appreciate that." Murmurs spread out throughout the clan.

"Yay!" A small voice cried out. "Mommy is leader!"

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**I have no idea how to continue this fanfic, but I will be taking requests for snapshots of Leafstar's life-but not death yet!  
ex. kits' warrior ceremony, losing a life, etc. If I don't get any, this story is done.**


	3. Chapter 3: Dogs

A/N: Okay. I haven't updated in FOREVER. And even that's an understatement. What happened? School happened. Loads of homework, never, ever, ending tests and quizzes. It was seriously a living hell. I didn't even get time to read! And when summer started, I had forgotten what happened in Skyclan's Destiny. Even now, I still don't have the time to read it again, so if there are any errors, like something that doesn't fit the story, PLEASE tell me. I miss being a kid.

-Hazel

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"Hazelpaw, Sandpaw, Firepaw!" all of Skyclan cheered. Leafstar felt proud of her kits. Hazelpaw was a hunter, even better than some apprentices, Sandpaw was a fighter, small and lithe, while Firepaw was a tracker, with a nose as good as any warrior. And now they themselves were apprentices at last. Leafstar could properly go back to her duties as leader. She felt she had picked the mentors well; Sharpclaw for Hazelpaw, Tinycloud for Sandpaw, and Sparrowpelt for Firepaw. Just as the clan was about to disperse back to their normal duties, Cherrytail yowled a sudden warning.

"Dogs!" she exclaimed. "The same ones are back!"

"They should be easy to defeat, since we only had to hiss at them last time," Bouncefire meowed. "Besides, there are–"

"Help!" Firepaw yowled. A dog had advanced upon him, and was now snarling, drool dripping from his wide open jaws.

"No!" Leafstar leaped after her kit, jumping onto the enormous dog's back. The entire camp flew into chaos. The dogs, who were previously so easily scared, had decided for a comeback, and they weren't giving up this time. Cherrytail was batting at one of the biggest dogs while Sparrowpelt bit at its tail. Other warriors such as Sharpclaw, Billystorm, Bouncefire, and Tinycloud were all taking on the dogs singlehandedly. There were too many, almost as much as there were cats. Sandpaw and Hazelpaw watched in fright as their littermate was lifted up by the scruff. Leafstar was desperately trying to save her flame colored kit, but nothing was working.

"Leafstar!" Billystorm yowled above the din. "Help Firepaw! I'll get Sandpaw and Hazelpaw!" He jumped to where Sandpaw and Hazelpaw were huddling, and ushered them down to the nursery while Leafstar battled the dog, who was obviously the leader. The largest, and most unforgiving, he could easily fight of Leafstar while still holding Firepaw.

"Will I die?" His helpless mew cut through Leafstar's heart.

"Firepaw, hold on." Leafstar's meow was ragged. In one final effort, she leaped upon the dog and scratched it's eyes. Thrashing around blindly in pain, he called for his pack to retreat, but not before tightly clamping his jaws down on Firepaw.

"Firepaw!" Billystorm had seen what had happened. It was no use calling Echosong, as she was already extremely busy with other gravely injured cats, and Firepaw was obviously dead.

"He would have been a great warrior," Leafstar murmured. Billystorm rested his muzzle upon Leafstar's as they mourned their dead kit.

"I know," he replied. Sandpaw and Hazelpaw had appeared out of the nursery, and were now pressed against each other, looking at their brother sadly.

"I'll miss him." Hazelpaw mewed sadly, remembering the good times they once had together as kits. Sandpaw nodded in sad agreement

"He was always the most adventurous." Slowly, clanmates covered in cobwebs came to crowd around Leafstar, Billystorm, and Firepaw's dead body. Leafstar stood up.

"Where can we bury him?"

"I know a place," Cherrytail piped up. She led them to a small field, shaded by a large maple tree. "I thought Firepaw might like to rest here."

"Thank you," Leafstar said. "I think so too." The clan then dug a hole and buried Firestar. Leafstar wasn't even sure if Rockshade, Petalnose, and Shrewtooth were going to survive, as all three suffered fatal injuries. Echosong had sent all cats healthy enough to go out and find more supplies, since her's were running dangerously low. Firepaw would be missed, Leafstar thought. But maybe good times are coming, even if trouble occasionally arises.

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A/N: So that's the third chapter. I really couldn't decide which cat to kill, since I got equal votes for Firepaw and Hazelpaw, and none for Sandpaw. So eventually, I just drew a name out of a hat. Random chance. I hope I'll have more time to update, and I'll try my best. I think I may do a warrior ceremony, then Leafstar loses a life. Thanks for all your awesome ideas! :D Sorry again about the REALLY long no update.

-Hazel

P.S. The "cover" is actually my profile picture. That's my cat, Tux.


	4. Chapter 4: Ceremony

**A/N: I really want to finish this fic. It's been what? Two years? A skip in updating, no time, that's gonna happen again once school starts. I also need to work on some other fics I wrote 2 years ago and now are in terrible need of editing. Thank you all for your reviews, I really appreciate them. They're one of the best parts of fanfiction. :) So here's the final chapter!**

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Her kits' warrior ceremony was today. Leafstar felt so proud of them both, Sandpaw and Hazelpaw. Soon, once they passed their assessment, which Leafstar knew without a doubt that they would, Sandpaw and Hazelpaw would receive their warrior names and become cats who would defend their clan with their life. Leafstar then felt a stab of pain. This would have been the day Firepaw received his warrior name too, had he not died in the battle with the dogs. Nothing of that sort had happened since then, but Leafstar was still wary. At this moment, Billystorm wandered in.

"Have you thought up good names for your kits?" Leafstar purred.

"I'm thinking about Sandheart and Hazelfrost." Leafstar suddenly paused. In a much quieter and subdued voice, she said, "If Firepaw were still here, I would have called him Firestorm." Billysotrm pressed abainst Leafsar for a while, bith of them silently comforting the other over their dead kit. Finally, Billystorm said lightly,

"I'll see you later then. I have to go on border patrol right now." Leafstar nodded, and Billystorm left the den.

Meanwhile, Hazelpaw stood with her head held high, while Sandpaw crouched on the ground, shiwhing her tail nervously as they waited for their mentors.

"I hope I pass," Sandpaw fretted. Hazelpaw let out a mrrow of laughter.

"Come on, there's no reason to be nervous. Of course you'll pass!" But Sandpaw still seemed unsure. At that moment, Sharpclaw and Tinycloud appeared from thir dens.

"Ready?" Tinycloud asked. Hazelpaw gave an affirmative nod, but Sandpaw only twitched her tail. The mentors gave the apprentices their tasks, and the assessment began. Sanpaw did perfectly fine, catching two birds, three mice, and narrowly missed a hawk. She really didn't have any reason to be nervous. Hazelpaw was fine too, catching five birds, three mice, and one vole before moving on to find a bigger hinting prize. A born hunter, there wasn't much that Hazelpaw couldn't catch. The assessment would be over soon, Leafstar thought. I wonder–

"Leafstar!" Shaprclaw came skidding into camp, stopping where Leafstar sat in front of her den. There was such urgency in his meow, that Leafstar immediately knew something had gone wrong.

"Hazelpaw… she was hunting so well, and then she stalked off to find something else. But I can't find her now!" Leafstar felt desperation sinking in. She couldn't lose another kit!

"Send out a patrol, right now, to look for her."

Sharpclaw quickly arranged a patrol to look for Hazelpaw: Himself, Bouncefire, Cherrytail, Rockshade, and Leafstar. It seemed like half the clan was gone, but this was an emergency.

Hazelpaw stalked off to find some harder prey. This is way to easy, she thought to herself. I really need to find something that I can prove myself to the clan too. She had wandered for a while, looking for a good spot. Finally deciding on a high rock, she would wait there to see what birds could come.

There!

Across the sky, Hazelpaw spotted a black bird with a white head. She wasn't quite sure what it was, but considering it's distance, it was massive. The perfect prey for a hunter like her. It was flying in her direction, and as it got closer, Hazelpaw was stunned. It was an eagle. And it was _huge._ I am going to catch this eagle, Hazelpaw thought. Hiding behind her rock, she prepared to pounce. The eagle swooped lower,

And lower,

And lower…

Hazelpaw pounced. Landing deftly on the eagle's back, she prepared to deliver the killing blow, but the eagle was flying away, too fast, for her to do anything but hang on and hope for her life.

Sharpclaw led his patrol to the place he had last seen Hazelpaw, a large rock. He had just glanced off to the side for one second, and then she was gone! Leafstar felt her heart sinking as Bouncefire sniffed around and confirmed that her fears were true.

"Her scent ends here," he said. "But there's also the scent of an eagle." Leafstar couldn't believe this was happening. She had lost another kit! Sharpclaw padded over to the rock.

"There's no blood. She could be alive."

"I saw an eagle earlier," Cherrytail said suddenly. "It seemed like there was something on top of it, but I thought it was just an illusion."

"What direction was it flying?" Leafstar asked, hope rising in her chest. Hazelpaw could be alive!

"Towards our clan."

"Oh no," Petalnose fretted. "What if it kills us all?" The patrol then raced back. Leafstar hoped to get there before the eagle did.

Hazelpaw clung on as tightly as she could, sinking her claws into the eagle's neck. And yet, the eagle refused to die! It was weakening though, dipping slightly, preparing to land as best as it could… right over SkyClan!

"Scatter!" Hazelpaw yowled to the rest of the clan, who had seen the approaching shadow and was racing back toward their dens. The eagle, already out of steam, crashed into the middle of camp. One last deft blow, and that ended its life.

Leafstar, Sharpclaw, and the rest of the patrol dashed into camp… and saw a giant eagle with Hazelpaw standing proudly next to it. Sandpaw, who had gotten back from her assessment, whispered to Hazelpaw,

"You shouldn't have caught that! Now you're going to pass and I'm not!" Hazelpaw regretfully shook her head.

"Sharpclaw and Leafstar could decide I'm too ambitious and not allow me to become a warrior for a while."

"Hazelpaw!" Leafstar meowed, bounding over to her kit. "I was so worried!" She was interrupted by Rockshade.

"That is HUGE." The rest of the clan began clamoring over Hazelpaw, asking how she had caught such a gigantic bird. Sharpclaw stared at Hazelpaw.

"She passed," was all he said. Tinycloud came up to Leafstar.

"Sandpaw beat me in battle. Her moves were so quick and her mind worked so fast! She definitely passed."

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey…"

Leafstar called a clan meeting, giving her two kits their warrior names. Sandheart and Hazelfrost. They would always be her kits, but they would be independent now, and great warriors to the clan. Pride warmed her heart as the cries of "Sandheart! Hazelfrost!" faded into the distance; faded, but never gone.

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**A/N: This story is complete now. I hope you've enjoyed it... I think I learned a lot writing it. So farewell...for now.**

**~Hazel**


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